Where Are You
by Aynslesa
Summary: A Cloud/Tifa songfic. Reviews welcome.


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WHERE ARE YOU

__

I'm all grown up

But somehow

It feels like I'm pretending

The visions of my younger years

They are buried

But the scenes that play inside of me

Are impending

They are never ending

Cloud Strife gazed thoughtfully through the window of the _Highwind's_ bridge. There was almost no one left on the ship, since everyone had gone to pay their various friends and loved ones a visit. Just him and Tifa, and Tifa wasn't really saying much. So he was left with his thoughts – and he had a lot of them. What had happened to him, to make him forget his entire past in the way he had? He hadn't just forgotten it; he'd manipulated it and deceived himself and those around him. And now that he remembered – he couldn't get the memories to stop playing over and over again. 

__

Where, where, where, where

Where are you?

You don't have to look out that window

Anymore

You can come back to yourself

You can come back to this world

Where are you?

Tell me who heard you?

And where are you?

Where's the calm, cold mercenary that he'd built himself up to be? The one who didn't care about anything except finishing the job and getting paid. Cloud sighed and ran his hands through his blond hair. That part of him was gone. In fact, now that he thought about it . . . it'd been gone for awhile. He'd just refused to see it. 

__

He led me into his room

And had me lay down

My heart and my soul

And anything that you could own

When you're six years old

But now I'm older

Tifa Lockheart stepped onto the bridge and immediately caught sight of Cloud. She'd never seen him look so lost and confused, and her heart ached for him. All she wanted at that moment was to run over to him, ask him what was wrong, comfort him. But she knew she couldn't do that. She knew him too well . . . he'd just brush her off and say that nothing was wrong. What he didn't seem to understand, didn't seem to see, was that she would do anything for him – anything he asked. 

__

Where, where, where, where

Where are you?

You don't have to look out that window

Anymore

You can come back to yourself

You can come back to this world

Where are you?

Tell me who heard you?

And where are you?

Where are you, Cloud? thought Tifa. What had happened to him? She could understand the shock he must have felt after regaining his memories, but to have them change his personality so much in so little time was beginning to unnerve her. _Talk to me, Cloud_, she thought silently. _Tell me what's wrong._

Such a quiet secret

It hurt too much trying hard to keep it

Oh, and I looked up to you

I wanted so much to believe in you

I wanted so much 

For you to believe in me

Oh, I tried

I try

Cloud clenched his fists. He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to face Sephiroth. But they were all counting on him: Barrett, Yuffie, Cid, Red, Vincent, Reeve, Tifa, and probably Aeris as well, wherever she was now. He had to lead them. But he wasn't ready!

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he started. He hadn't even heard her come into the room. "Cloud," Tifa said softly, "Cloud, what's wrong?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nothing, Tifa." No need to worry her. 

"No, _not_ nothing," Tifa insisted. "Something wrong, and I can tell."

__

But where, where, where, where

Where are you?

I don't have to look out that window

Anymore

I can just come back to myself

I can come back to this world

Where are you?

Tell me who hurt you

And where are you now?

"Tifa . . . you wouldn't understand."

Tifa sighed. She'd known he'd do this! "All right. I can't force you to tell me anything. But Cloud . . . I'm your friend. And I'll be here. You don't have be so alone anymore."

Cloud looked at her, his face expressionless. Then he sighed. "Thanks, Tifa," he said, softly. "But really, I'm okay." With those words, he stood up and walked out of the room.

Tifa stared after him. "Cloud . . ."

__

Where are you?

Where are you?

Where are you?

Tell me who hurt you

Final Fantasy VII © Squaresoft

'_Where Are You_' © Wilson Phillips


End file.
